Shard of Spring

Last updated
Shard of Spring
Shard of Spring.png
Cover art by Joe Chiodo [1] (revised [2] )
Developer(s) TX Digital Illusions
Publisher(s) Strategic Simulations
Designer(s) Craig Roth
David Stark
Platform(s) Apple II, Commodore 64, DOS
Release1986 [3]
Genre(s) Role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Shard of Spring is a role-playing video game developed by TX Digital Illusions and published by Strategic Simulations for the Apple II, Commodore 64 and DOS computers in 1986. Shard of Spring tells the story of a group of adventurers hired to retrieve the titular magical item stolen by a power-hungry evil witch. The game was generally well received upon its release and was followed by a sequel titled Demon's Winter in 1988.

Contents

Gameplay

The player's party in Shard of Spring can be made up of at least two human, dwarf, elf, troll or gnome adventurers, each of whom can be either a warrior or a wizard (both classes have very different set of traits to assign points to). [4] The game's game world system is displayed in the top-down view, and the combat system for the fights (mostly random encounters) is similar to turn-based tactical war games. [5] Its spell system is based on five elements: fire, metal, wind, ice and spirit. [6]

Plot

For two centuries, a small island of Ymros enjoyed eternal springtime thanks to the enchanted Shard of Spring, a piece of the long-lost legendary Life Stone. However, three years ago, the land's peace was shattered when a mysterious Siriadne arrived to Ymros and stole the Shard. With the threat of the Shard's destruction, the selfish sorceress and her minions now extort a ruinous and ever-increasing tribute from the people of Ymros. Anyone who might put an end to her tyranny will be a hero for all time to come. The aim of the game is to gain access to Siriadne's castle (which is encircled by a magical force field) and defeat her. [7] The player needs to kill Siriadne's chief followers Devon the Destroyer, [8] Ralith (in Ralith's Tower) [9] and Edrin (in Edrin's Dungeon) so the party can storm Siriadne's Fortress. [10] Siriadne herself transforms into a dragon for the final battle. [11] After the player's victory, the game ends in a cryptic way. [12]

Reception

SSI sold 11,942 copies of Shard of Spring in North America. [13] The game was generally well received upon its release. According to QuestBusters, "anyone completely burned out on the 'seek and slay' scenario should look elsewhere," but " Phantasie fans who found Wizard's Crown too complex will appreciate this one, which combines the best elements of each - easily making it SSI's best game since the original Phantasie." [7] Scorpia of Computer Gaming World gave the game a positive review in 1986, noting it as a good hack and slash type. The graphics were considered well-done, even in monochrome, but the reviewer felt leveling in the later part of the game went far too slowly. [4] In 1993, she called Shard of Spring "a typical hack-and-slash romp" but "not bad for its type, and better than some". [14] On the other hand, Philippa Irving in Zzap!64 criticized the game's "lacklustre" presentation (55%) and "dull" graphics 65%, but nevertheless gave Shard of Spring a high overall rating of 88%, calling it "just short of brilliant" due to its "absorbing, tantalizing, and satisfying" playability. [15] Rick Teverbaugh of RUN also gave it a positive review, even as he opined it was not "exactly a frontrunner in the Game of the Year voting." [16]

The game, however, did not become a classic title. Tim Bailey reviewed Shard of Spring in Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer commented that "if you have the money to spare, and Ultima IV is not available, and you can't wait, Shard of Spring is a good, but inferior imitation." [17] In 1987, Mark Patters of Commodore User gave Shard of Spring a rating of 6/10. [18] [19] Reviewers often compared this game to Ultima III: Exodus . According to a critical retrospective review by John Gorenfeld in Allgame, "unlike Wizard's Crown, SSI's RPG Shard of Spring has none of the company's characteristic war game detail. In fact, it feels like a low-rent version of Ultima III, with the latter's simple tactical combat, but less atmosphere." [20] It was reported that the game had a balance problem in which the players would receive too few experience points for their victories; [21] this problem was fixed in the sequel. [22]

Reviews

Legacy

A follow-up to Shard of Spring was created by the same team and published by SSI in 1988. The sequel has Ymros once again threatened by evil as the players must search for spells to defeat the demon-god Malifon who has cast the world into a deep freeze. It expanded on the first game in some ways such as offering more character classes. [24]

Related Research Articles

<i>Pool of Radiance</i> 1988 video game

Pool of Radiance is a role-playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI) in 1988. It was the first adaptation of TSR's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) fantasy role-playing game for home computers, becoming the first episode in a four-part series of D&D computer adventure games. The other games in the "Gold Box" series used the game engine pioneered in Pool of Radiance, as did later D&D titles such as the Neverwinter Nights online game. Pool of Radiance takes place in the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting, with the action centered in and around the port city of Phlan.

<i>Eye of the Beholder</i> (video game) 1991 video game

Eye of the Beholder is a role-playing video game for personal computers and video game consoles developed by Westwood Associates. It was published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. in 1991, for the MS-DOS operating system and later ported to the Amiga, the Sega CD and the SNES. The Sega CD version features a soundtrack composed by Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima. A port to the Atari Lynx handheld was developed by NuFX in 1993, but was not released. In 2002, an adaptation of the same name was developed by Pronto Games for the Game Boy Advance.

<i>The Bards Tale</i> (1985 video game) 1985 video game

The Bard's Tale is a fantasy role-playing video game designed and programmed by Michael Cranford for the Apple II. It was produced by Interplay Productions in 1985 and distributed by Electronic Arts. The game was ported to the Commodore 64, Apple IIGS, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, Macintosh, and NES. It spawned The Bard's Tale series of games and books. The earliest editions of the game used a series title of Tales of the Unknown, but this title was dropped for later ports of The Bard's Tale and subsequent games in the series.

<i>Curse of the Azure Bonds</i> 1989 video game

Curse of the Azure Bonds is a role-playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI) in 1989. It is the second in a four-part series of Forgotten Realms Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Gold Box adventure computer games, continuing the events after the first part, Pool of Radiance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Box</span> Video game series and game engine

Gold Box is a series of role-playing video games produced by SSI from 1988 to 1992. The company acquired a license to produce games based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game from TSR, Inc. These games shared a common game engine that came to be known as the "Gold Box Engine" after the gold-colored boxes in which most games of the series were sold.

<i>Dungeon Master</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Dungeon Master is a role-playing video game featuring a pseudo-3D first-person perspective. It was developed and published by FTL Games for the Atari ST in 1987, almost identical Amiga and PC (DOS) ports following in 1988 and 1992.

<i>Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness</i> 1981 video game

Ultima, later known as Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness or simply Ultima I, is the first game in the Ultima series of role-playing video games created by Richard Garriott, originally released for the Apple II. It was first published in the United States by California Pacific Computer Company, which registered a copyright for the game on September 2, 1980 and officially released it in June 1981. Since its release, the game has been completely re-coded and ported to many different platforms. The 1986 re-code of Ultima is the most commonly known and available version of the game.

<i>Ultima III: Exodus</i> 1983 video game

Ultima III: Exodus is the third game in the series of Ultima role-playing video games. Exodus is also the name of the game's principal antagonist. It is the final installment in the "Age of Darkness" trilogy. Released in 1983, it was the first Ultima game published by Origin Systems. Originally developed for the Apple II, Exodus was eventually ported to 13 other platforms, including a NES/Famicom remake.

<i>Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar</i> 1985 video game

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar, first released in 1985 for the Apple II, is the fourth in the series of Ultima role-playing video games. It is the first in the "Age of Enlightenment" trilogy, shifting the series from the hack and slash, dungeon crawl gameplay of its "Age of Darkness" predecessors towards an ethically-nuanced, story-driven approach. Ultima IV has a much larger game world than its predecessors, with an overworld map sixteen times the size of Ultima III and puzzle-filled dungeon rooms to explore. Ultima IV further advances the franchise with dialog improvements, new means of travel and exploration, and world interactivity.

<i>Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny</i> 1988 video game

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny is the fifth entry in the role-playing video game series Ultima released in March 1988. It is the second in the "Age of Enlightenment" trilogy. The game's story takes a darker turn from its predecessor Ultima IV. Britannia's king Lord British is missing, replaced by a tyrant named Lord Blackthorn. The player must navigate a totalitarian world bent on enforcing its virtues through draconian means.

<i>Wizards Crown</i> 1986 video game

Wizard's Crown is a 1986 top-down role-playing video game published by Strategic Simulations. It was released for the Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, IBM PC compatibles, Apple II, and Commodore 64. A sequel, The Eternal Dagger, was released in 1987.

<i>Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur</i> Interactive fiction video game

Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur is an illustrated interactive fiction video game written by Bob Bates and published by Infocom in 1989. It was released for the Apple II, Amiga, Macintosh, and IBM PC compatibles. Atypically for an Infocom product, it shows illustrations of locations, characters and objects within the game. It is Infocom's thirty-fourth game and is the second of two Infocom games developed by Challenge using Infocom's development tools.

<i>Spellbreaker</i> 1985 video game

Spellbreaker is an interactive fiction computer game written by Dave Lebling and published by Infocom in 1985, the third and final game in the "Enchanter Trilogy." It was released for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Macintosh, and DOS. Infocom's nineteenth game, Spellbreaker is rated "Expert" difficulty.

<i>Kings Quest IV</i> 1988 video game

King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella is a graphic adventure game developed and released by Sierra On-Line for the MS-DOS, Amiga, Apple II, Apple IIGS, and Atari ST computers in 1988. The player takes on the role of Princess Rosella, daughter of King Graham of Daventry and the twin sister of Gwydion/Alexander, who must save her father and a good fairy and destroy an evil witch. Critically acclaimed, it was one of the first PC games to support a sound card.

<i>The Magic Candle</i> 1989 video game

The Magic Candle: Volume 1 is a role-playing video game designed by Ali Atabek and developed and published by Mindcraft in 1989.

<i>Gateway to the Savage Frontier</i> 1991 video game

Gateway to the Savage Frontier (1991) is a Gold BoxDungeons & Dragons computer game developed by Beyond Software and published by SSI for the Commodore 64, PC and Amiga personal computers.

<i>Phantasie II</i> 1986 video game

Phantasie II is the second game in the Phantasie series of role-playing video games.

<i>Realms of Darkness</i> 1986 video game

Realms of Darkness is a fantasy video game developed by Strategic Simulations and released in 1986. It was developed for the Apple II and Commodore 64.

<i>Phantasie</i> 1985 video game

Phantasie is the first video game in the Phantasie series.

<i>Questron</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Questron is a 1984 game from Strategic Simulations, the first fantasy title from a company known for computer wargames. It was written by Charles Dougherty and Gerald Wieczorek and released for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, and Commodore 64. A sequel, Questron II, was released in 1988.

References

  1. ↑ "Computer Game Museum - Loubet Tower (Art Gallery)". Mocagh.org. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
  2. ↑ "PROTOTYPE GAME BOX COVER ARTS Unreleased, Alternative and Early Concept Art". Archived from the original on August 3, 2013. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  3. ↑ Barton, Matt (2007-02-23). "Part 2: The Golden Age (1985-1993)". The History of Computer Role-Playing Games. Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 2009-03-12. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  4. 1 2 Scorpia (Dec 1986), "Shard of Spring", Computer Gaming World, pp. 38–41
  5. ↑ "QuestBusters: The Adventurer's Journal Volume 3 Number 09" . Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  6. ↑ "Ahoy! Magazine October 1986 - Commodore Computers" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  7. 1 2 "Shard of Spring". QuestBusters. September 1986. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 2015-01-15.
  8. ↑ "Commodore Magazine Issue 02". February 1987. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "Gold Mine Game Tips for Commodore Users" . Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "Commodore Magazine Issue 29". May 1989. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  11. ↑ "ZZap!64 Magazine Issue 033". January 1987. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  12. ↑ "(...) As you turn to go back into the room, you see a black bird out of the corner of your eye, moving swiftly upward. As you re-enter the room, an old man who you recognize is standing near the dead body of Siriadne. His face shows a mixture of serenity and contentment. He speaks: 'The true springtime shall now return to Ymros because of what you have done today. Your names shall be remembered as long as men exist to sing of you.' He makes some mysterious motions and everything begins to swirl about you. His voice speaks to you out of the dizziness: 'Evil is personified in the form of dragons, but borne in the hearts of men...'"
  13. ↑ Maher, Jimmy (2016-03-18). "Opening the Gold Box, Part 3: From Tabletop to Desktop". The Digital Antiquarian. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  14. ↑ Scorpia (October 1993). "Scorpia's Magic Scroll Of Games". Computer Gaming World. pp. 34–50. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  15. ↑ Philippa Irving (Sep 1987), "Shard of Spring", Zzap!64, p. 55
  16. ↑ "Run Magazine Issue 40". April 1987. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  17. ↑ Bailey, Tim (August–September 1987). "A Poor Man's Ultima". Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer . Diverse Talents, Incorporated (79): 43.
  18. ↑ Mark Patters (Apr 1987), "Shard of Spring", Commodore User, p. 32
  19. ↑ "Commodore User Magazine Issue 43". April 1987. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  20. ↑ Gorenfeld, John (2010-10-03). "Shard of Spring". allgame. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
  21. ↑ "Computist Issue #41". 1987. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  22. ↑ "QuestBusters: The Adventurer's Journal Volume 5 Number 12" . Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  23. ↑ "Jeux & stratégie 45". June 1987.
  24. ↑ "Run 69 (September 1989)" (PDF). September 1989. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.